There’s a couple nifty features in this map. For one, you can type your city (I’d include a WV behind it) into the search bar and it’ll show you exactly where you are and who represents you (this helps in the Charleston area where four different districts collide). You can also make the map full screen to get a better look.

Once again a * means incumbent. Since everyone in the House is up for reelection, the colors designate the offices of the incumbents. Purple means that there is a mix of Democrats and Republicans in office in that district.

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It’s been a long time since I’ve posted, but that’s because I’ve been working on making a map for the state senate and state delegate races. Here’s the finished product for the state senate race (I’m still working on the house version).

I should explain. When there’s a star next to a person’s name, that means the person is the incumbent up for reelection. The color of the district is determined by the party of the incumbent who’s seat is up for reelection.

Basically, you can hover over the area where you live and see who has filed to run. I’ll make an updated version after the primary.

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This will be my final post for the Gazette-Mail data blog, which my colleague Dan Desrochers has wonderfully renamed, The 304.

The data blog was a project that Dan and I talked about a lot over the past few months. This particular post was something we’d recently discussed and I decided to just go ahead and make it before I depart the paper (I’m heading to the Tennessean to cover the statehouse in Nashville). For the most part, I’ve had a wonderful time working here and was given the freedom to explore all things data-related and learn how to develop my skills while sharing information to you in a different way.

Dan will do a better job than I and I look forward to continue to following his work.

Anyways, I decided to embark on this insane adventure where I totaled up every single presidential and West Virginia gubernatorial election since 1952. I made this pretty spreadsheet based off the election returns I found on the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office.

I did this in order to basically make these gifs, which I hope you’ll enjoy. Much appreciation goes out to Lisa Bernheim here at the Gazette-Mail, for her work in making the gifs possible.

The is a gif of the results from every presidential election since 1952.

And here’s a gif of the results from every gubernatorial race since 1952.

Incumbent Republican David A. Evans (Cameron) has filed for re-election in District 4. Incumbent Dem Michael Ferro has also filed papers for re-election.

Paul Ross – Barboursville, District 18, Democrat

Mark Ross – Wayne, District 19, Republican

Robert Thompson – Wayne, District 19, Democrat

Gary L. Michels – Wayne, District 19, Democrat

Charlotte Lane – Charleston, District 35, Republican

Clayton Derrick Moore – Elkins, District 43, Republican

Phillips Bruce Kolsun – Elkins, District 43, Republican

Billy Smerka Jr – Parkersburg, District 51, Democrat

Linda Maya Meyers – Williamstown, District 51, Democrat

Joe Funkhouser – Charles Town, District 66, Republican

State Senate

H. John Rogers (New Martinsville) is the first Democrat to file papers in the race to replace Sen. Jeff Kessler in District 2. Republican Virginia Ginger Nalley (Sistersville) previously filed her paperwork as well.

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I apologize for the extreme delay in this update. I’ve been busy helping cover the Don Blankenship trial so I haven’t had much time to do the latest pre-candidacy filings. You can find the 2016 Election Guide here.

I’ve updated the guide with the latest filings (see below) and, thanks to a suggestion by my colleague, Dan Desrochers, I’ve changed the colors of each district.

Now there are three colors, depending on who is representing each district. If Democrats have a majority (in terms of who is currently in office) in the district, it is shaded blue. If Republicans have a majority, it is shaded red. And if there is an even split, the district is shaded purple.

On the Senate map, I’ve added both incumbents and what year they are up for re-election (ie 2016 or 2018). Everyone in the House is up for re-election in 2016.

And now, here are your latest filings:

House of Delegates

Anne Dandelet (Huntington) is the latest Republican to join the race in District 17. She and Jarred Cannon (Huntington) are joining fellow Republican Delegate Matthew Rohrbach in hopes of taking away a seat currently held by Democrat Doug Reynolds, who has not filed his pre-candidacy papers yet. For the Democrats, Chad Lovejoy and Joe Fincham (both of Huntington) have filed their pre-candidacy papers.

Sheldon Harmon (Wayne) became the third potential Republican candidate to enter the race in District 19. John Creamer (Huntington) and Henry Dillon (Kenova), who are both Republicans, already filed their paperwork, while Delegates Ken Hicks and Don Perdue (both Democrats) have yet to indicate their intentions for 2016.

Republican Delegate Ray Canterbury (Ronceverte) filed his paperwork to run again in District 42. Canterbury along with George Ambler – also a Republican – are the incumbents. Ambler previously filed his pre-candidacy papers. The only other person to file paperwork in the district is Democrat Stephen Baldwin Jr (Ronceverte).

Republican Moore Capito (Charleston), who is U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito’s son, is joining an ever crowding race to represent District 35. The district is currently currently represented by Democrat Andrew Byrd and Republicans John B. McCuskey, Eric Nelson and Chris Stansbury. Stansbury is running for the 17 District of the state Senate – a seat which is currently occupied by Democrat Corey Palumbo, who recently announced his intentions to run for re-election. McCuskey is running for state auditor. Nelson has already filed pre-candidacy papers to run for re-election, while Byrd has not. Others to file their pre-candidacy papers include: Democrat Benjamin Adams (Charleston) and Republicans Matt Kelly and Lance Wheeler (both of St. Albans), and Keith Alan Pauley (Charleston).

Two new Republicans, Ray Hollen (Mineral Wells) and Angela Summers (Washington) entered the race in District 9, when they recently filed their paperwork. Incumbent Republican Anna Border-Sheppard has yet to file any paperwork for 2016. No other candidates have filed yet.

Republican Zachery Maynard (Harts) filed his paperwork to run in District 22. The district is currently represented by Michel Moffatt, who has filed to run for re-election. Democrat William Holstein has filed his pre-candidacy papers as well.

Here’s the latest roundup of the newest pre-candidacy filings that were submitted with the secretary of state’s office since I last updated the 2016 Election Guide. You can find the guide here.

House of Delegates

Samantha Fooce (Point Pleasant) became the first Democrat to file to run in District 14, which is currently represented by Republican Jim Butler, who previously filed pre-candidacy papers to run for re-election. No other Republicans have filed in the race.

Republican Jarred Cannon (Huntington) filed paperwork seeking to run in District 17. He became the first non-incumbent Republican to file. Democrats Chad Lovejoy and Joe Fincham (both of Huntington) previously filed papers to run, while fellow Dem Doug Reynolds, one of two incumbents, has yet to file his papers. Incumbent Republican Matthew Rohrbach previously filed his pre-candidacy papers.

The race for District 19 got a bit more crowded this week after Henry Dillon of Kenova filed his papers to run as a Republican. He joins John Creamer of Huntington as the only GOP members to file so far. Incumbent Dems Ken Hicks and Don Perdue have yet to file their paperwork.

Republican Sam Freeman (Gary) joined Brian Harrison (Paynesville) as the Republicans seeking to grab control of District 26. Democrat Clif Moore currently represents the district but yet has yet to file his papers. Two Democrats – Scotty Ray Hagerman (Warriormine) and Robert Rocky Seay (Princeton) – have already filed pre-candidacy papers.

Charleston resident Benjamin Adams (Democrat) entered the race in District 35, which is currently represented by Democrat Andrew Byrd and Republicans John B. McCuskey, Eric Nelson and Chris Stansbury. The district’s representation will definitely change, as Stansbury is running for the 17 District of the state Senate – a seat which is currently occupied by Democrat Corey Palumbo, who recently announced his intentions to run for re-election. McCuskey is running for state auditor. Nelson has already filed pre-candidacy papers to run for re-election, while Byrd has not. Beyond Adams, three Republicans have also filed their paperwork. They include Matt Kelly and Lance Wheeler, both of St. Albans, and Keith Alan Pauley of Charleston.

The race for District 51 got even more crowded after Democrats Evan Hansen, John Lucas (both of Morgantown) and Barry Wendell (Fairmont) joined the already large field of potential candidates. As of today, seven Democrats have filed pre-candidacy papers for a district that has five seats. They include Democrat Barbara Evans Fleischauer, who is running for re-election. The other Dems to previously file are John R. Williams, Michael Wolfe and James Merrill – all of Morgantown. On the Republican side of the race, only one non-incumbent candidate has filed – Eric T.R. Finch of Fairview. Incumbents Brian Kurchaba and Joe Statler have filed re-election paperwork, while Cindy Frich and Amanda Pasdon have yet to do so.

Although he has yet to indicate which office he will seek, incumbent Republican Larry Faircloth could face two new challengers in the District 60 race. Last week Gary W. Kelley (Martinsburg), also a Republican, filed his papers. Prior to that, Republican Stephen Marshall Wilson (Hedgesville) filed his papers.

State Senate

Jordan Ray Bridges (Logan) became the second Republican to enter the race in District 7, which is currently represented by Democrat Art Kirkendoll, who has filed his pre-candidacy papers to run for re-election. Republican Gary Johngrass of Branchland previously filed his paperwork.

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Another week and another ad from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Justice.

As previously reported, Justice spent $80,000 to air 453+ 30-second spots, highlighting his ownership of The Greenbrier Resort, on TV stations across West Virginia.

Someone told me to go back and look for one more station, so I did and discovered Justice spent even more than I previously reported for ads to run between October 14 and October 27.

At the time I didn’t have the $21,770 the campaign spent for 119 ads to run on WHAG.

That pushed the campaign’s total spent from Oct. 14-27 to $102,761 for 572 ads.

Justice’s newest 30-second ad is called Coal Man. It was posted on YouTube last week and began airing at the tail end of October.

For his latest ad buy, Justice spent $104,445 to run 490+ ads on 8 different TV stations in West Virginia.

As was the case with the campaign’s previous ad buy, WOWK did not have the total number of ads the candidate purchased listed in their political file. So the 490 will undoubtedly increase but there is no way of knowing by how much.

The latest totals reveal Justice’s campaign has spent $207,206 to run more than 1,062 ads since October 14.

Here are the grand totals of ads aired by station:

240 – WHAG (Hagerstown, Maryland/NBC)

188 – WBOY (Clarksburg/NBC)

162 – WDTV (Weston-Clarksburg-Fairmont/CBS)

135 – WSAZ (Charleston-Huntington/NBC)

112 – WTRF (Wheeling/CBS)

104 – WCHS (Charleston-Huntington/ABC)

75 – WVVA (Beckley-Bluefield/NBC)

26 – WVFX (Clarksburg/FOX)

20 – WQCW (Charleston-Huntington/CW)

Again it should be noted that WOWK is not on this list because they do not have the total number of ads posted in their political file.

And a breakdown of the amount spent at each station:

$57, 600 – WSAZ

$46,990 – WBOY

$43,660 – WHAG

$17,875 – WCHS

$12,440 – WDTV

$10,535 – WVVA

$7,140 – WOWK

$6,698 – WTRF

$3,000 – WQCW

$1,268 – WVFX

It should be noted that no other gubernatorial candidate has purchased any ads so far this year.

Here’s the latest roundup of the newest pre-candidacy filings that were submitted with the secretary of state’s office since I updated the 2016 Election Guide last week. You can find the guide here.

House of Delegates

The two-member 17th district, which is currently represented by Doug Reynolds (D) and Matthew Rohrbach (R), had a new name enter the potential race last week. Joe Fincham (D-Huntington) filed his pre-candidacy papers, making him the second Democrat to file in the race. Chad Lovejoy also of Huntington previously filed his paperwork. Beyond Rohrbach, who filed his pre-candidacy papers to run for re-election, no Republicans have filed. Reynolds has not filed any paperwork yet.

Tanya Walker Benbow (Clendenin) is the first Democrat to file papers in the 11th District, which is currently represented by Republican Martin Atkinson who was appointed following former Delegate Bob Ashley’s move to the state Senate. Atkinson has filed his pre-candidacy papers to run for re-election. Benbow and Atkinson are joined by Riley Keaton (R-Spencer) who previously filed.

Stephen Marshall Wilson (R-Hedgesville) became the first person to file pre-candidacy papers for the race in the 60th District. The district is currently represented by Larry Faircloth who has filed undeclared pre-candidacy papers. No Democrats have filed for the race yet.

State Senate

Brandon Barker (D-Williamson) is the first Democrat to file pre-candidacy papers to run in the 6th District. The seat is currently held by Republican Senate President Bill Cole, who is running for governor. Republican Chandler Swope (Princeton) is the only other person to file pre-candidacy papers for the race.

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The countdown to primary election day continues and once again, there are whole host of new potential candidates.

Here’s the latest roundup of the newest pre-candidacy filings that were submitted with the secretary of state’s office since I updated the 2016 Election Guide last week. You can find the guide here.

House of Delegates

Martin Rick Atkinson III (R-Reedy) enters the District 11 race. Earlier this month, Atkinson was appointed to the House by Gov. Tomblin. Only one other candidate – Riley Keaton (R-Spencer) has filed pre-candidacy papers in the race.

Patrick S. Martin (R-Buckhannon) is the third Republican to join the race in District 46. The seat is currently held by Democrat Peggy Donaldson Smith, who has not filed pre-candidacy papers. The other Republicans seeking to win their party’s nomination include Derick Love (Jane Lew) and James Richard Atchison (Weston).

State Senate

Bob Plymale (D-Huntington) filed his pre-candidacy papers in hopes of being re-elected to represent the 5th District. No one else has filed paperwork yet.